BUT that night, confirmation seemed to come. Claudio heard a woman’s voice bid Borachio a fond goodnight, and it came from Hero’s bedroom window. Don John had warned him; now it was certain! Next day, right before the altar, Claudio accused Hero so bitterly that she fainted away.

When he subsequently learnt that Hero had never recovered, Claudio was racked with remorse. Comedy had turned to tragedy, it seemed; and when Benedick challenged Claudio to a duel it all began to get out of hand. Worse, Borachio confessed that the whole window scene had been staged and paid for by Don John. Claudio denounced himself as a slanderer and a murderer, and told Leonato to choose his revenge.

Unexpectedly, Leonato sentenced Claudio to marriage — a niece of Leonato’s was to take Hero’s place. The solemn company duly assembled in church, the bride lifted her veil – and revealed herself as Hero, who had not died — or was dead ‘only while slander lived’.

It was all very touching; even Beatrice and Benedick were swept up in it, still sparring merrily. The happy couples married, and danced, and Don John was forgotten. All his mischief really came down to much ado about nothing.